The 9 Best Computer Monitors to Buy in 2018

The Samsung U28E590D offers supports resolutions up 3840 x 2160 (four times greater than that of full HD) at 60 hertz. There is support for a palette of one billion colors, meaning movies, graphics and games are detailed, natural and realistic. For gamers with an AMD graphics card, AMD Freesync with a 1ms refresh rate is supported.

There’s connectivity for UHD compatible devices (such as future gaming consoles), two HDMI inputs and one DisplayPort. The 60-hertz refresh rate plays 4K content smoothly with no delay. An Eye Saver mode reduces eyestrain by reducing blue light emissions and flickers, allowing you to game, watch movies or view documents comfortably for longer periods.

This monitor includes a base making it suitable for surface use, but it is not VESA compatible, meaning it cannot be wall mounted.

This monitor is priced in the mid-range, but it includes many high-end features found on models that are more expensive. It offers clear, sharp, vivid images, and the picture in picture technology eliminates the need for a second monitor for multitasking.

If you’re on a budget for a computer monitor, there’s no better choice than the HP Pavilion 22cwa. This 21.5-inch ultra-slim monitor checks off every major need for desktop computer users without breaking the bank. First off, it has great video and picture performance, thanks to its full HD 1080p resolution, LED backlighting and ultra-wide IPS technology. The Pavilion 22cwa also has amazing 8,000,00:1 dynamic contrast that provides rich colors, an anti-glare treatment and a thin bezel that keeps your attention on the display, not the design of the monitor. Connectivity options are basic with VGA and HDMI inputs, but this will satisfy most computer owners. More than 1,700 Amazon reviewers have given this monitor an average 4.5-out-of-5-star rating and has surprised many buyers with how good it looks for the price, so you can’t go wrong with the HP Pavilion 22cwa if you’re unsure what budget monitor to select.

If you want to watch movies from your computer, the 32-inch AOC 4K LED monitor strikes a good balance between size and features. The 3840 x 2160 4K Ultra HD screen has four times the resolution of an HD display, delivering richer color accuracy with over 1.07 billion colors in total. This monitor adds 178-degree viewing angles with consistent image quality across the board and two three-watt speakers on each side of the monitor for enhanced audio. Additionally, AOC opted for a TN panel instead of the more traditional IPS panel. This results in a superior contrast ratio—more brilliant colors and deeper blacks—for a vibrant movie-watching experience.

With 31.5 inches of viewable screen, there’s enough space for multiple windows (if you want to multitask while you watch).  And AOC's flicker-free technology reduces the number of flickers that can be seen with each screen refresh on the LED, eliminating long-term discomfort or eye fatigue.

This incredible LG ultra wide monitor offers a whopping 2560 x 1080 resolution with a 21:9 aspect ratio, and an amazing four-screen split feature that allows you to divide the screen into two or four customizable segments. It also has Flicker Safe, designed to reduce eye fatigue by reducing flickering to almost zero. sRGB coverage is over 99 percent, which provides highly accurate color and makes this monitor a great choice for graphic artists and photographers, while also a great choice for serious gaming and outstanding multimedia experiences. It is an IPS display, which means you get clear, sharp images that looks the same at any angle. The black stabilizer feature senses dark images and helps brighten them, ensuring you can see fine detail in even the darkest ones.

Connectivity includes two HDMI ports and one DisplayPort. The refresh rate is 60 hertz and includes Dynamic Action Sync technology to ensure you catch everything in real time.

Freesync support (compatible with select AMD graphics cards only) eliminates tearing and stuttering between the graphic card’s frame rate and the monitor refresh rate, allowing for seamless movement in gaming. There are some preset gamer modes to enhance gaming and two seven-watt built-in stereo speakers that allow for great audio quality during gaming or movies.

This monitor is VESA compatible, meaning it can be wall mounted with the purchase of a mounting bracket, or displayed on a flat surface with the included base.

Check out our guide to the best ultra-wide monitors you can buy today. 

Though the Samsung SD300 might sub out an IPS for a TN panel to lower costs, the monitor welcomes in one of the best displays you’ll find at a reasonable price tag. Stylish and glossy, the monitor has a 23.6-inch screen and 1920 x 1080 resolution. Samsung’s Mega Dynamic Contrast Ratio technology covers 114 percent of the sRGB color space, resulting in bright visuals and images that remain crisp and clear no matter how fast action is happening — perfect for gamers or binge-watchers. Want to connect another device? Onboard HDMI lets you link a variety of devices, like laptops, satellite boxes, and HD gaming systems, while Magic Upscale technology keeps images sharp and reduces degradation when transferred.

The monitor has three energy-saving modes, allowing you to conserve either 25-, 50-, or 100-percent energy (fully powered off). Users can also set a timer to activate one of these modes when the monitor hasn’t been used after a certain period of time.

This 27-inch monitor from Dell’s Professional line offers a ton of features perfect for someone looking for a work-friendly unit. With a 1920 x 1080 resolution and a 60 Hz refresh rate, it isn’t going to be good for gaming, but it will be perfectly crisp for business and general media consumption. The wide 16:9 aspect ratio is ideal for wielding multiple windows for increased productivity. And speaking of productivity, the fully adjustable stand will allow for your preferred viewing angle and arrangement — even if you’re looking for a vertical portrait orientation.

Dell’s Complete Clarity setting provides a 4,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, giving some amazing viewability from a color, sharpness, and shadow/highlight perspective. Dell has also baked in a tech they’re calling ComfortView that filters out excess blue light to dull the harsh effects of staring at your monitor for extended periods of time, allowing you to work longer and more comfortably. There’s one Display Port, one HDMI input, one VGA input, 3 USB ports (1 upstream and 2 inputs), and USB connectivity that supports the super-fast 3.0 protocol. Overall, it’s a great monitor that’ll factor in seamlessly to your work setup, whether it’s your only monitor or it’s part of a multi-screen system. 

From ASUS’ premium “Republic of Gamers” line comes the ROG Swift. While this lightning fast monitor is set to 144 hertz right out of the box, it can actually break the 144-hertz barrier at a refresh rate of 165 hertz for the smoothest gaming graphics you can possibly imagine. It is an IPS display too, allowing the image to look the same from any angle. It has full sRGB gamut for immersive life-like color, a wide viewing angle and support for NVIDIA’s G-Sync technology, designed to minimize tearing and lag when coupled with a compatible NVIDIA GeForce graphics card.

The 27” screen supports a healthy 2560 x 1440 resolution at 144 hertz and has a 16:9 aspect ratio. Refresh time is 4ms.

Connectivity includes one DisplayPort, one HDMI port and three USB 3.0 ports. It includes ULMB motion-blur reduction, GamePlus, a hot key that allow you to switch frame rates on the fly, and a variety of gaming-specific image modes.

It’s worth noting that each monitor in this line is individually tested at the factory to ensure quality workmanship, and that it in fact works. If speed is your thing, this monitor can withstand even the most demanding video games on the market, as long as your computer can keep up with it.

Interested in reading more reviews? Take a look at our selection of the best high-end gaming monitors. 

In order to be a successful designer (or photographer, or video editor), you need your monitor to render color faithfully to natural light. Apple’s monitors have long been the top choice, but the latest Thunderstruck is not coming out until later this year. Until then, the BenQ Ultra HD 4K Design Monitor does everything an artist needs it to do. Using premier color technology, this display delivers vivid and accurate color that will satisfy graphic design pros.

The monitor comes with a commanding 10-bit 100 percent sRGB color palette, accurately recreating over one billion colors with optimal precision and unrivaled contrast. In-Plane Switching (IPS) technology lets you see the color of an image from any angle, extraordinarily helpful for attention to detail. The full gamut of colors comes to you on a 27” or 32” screen in 3840x2160 Ultra HD 4K resolution, an astounding 8,294,400 pixels.

Designers will also appreciate CAD/CAM mode, which delivers unparalleled contrast on 3D lines to help amplify model’s wireframes. The monitor also comes equipped with an animation mode that manipulates brightness and shadow to add depth to your creations and a picture-in-picture mode for video editing projects.

A monitor made for designers should be well-designed. BenQ outfitted the 4K Design Monitor with a responsive and easy-to-rotate swivel so you can see your creation from any angle. The bevel itself is slim and free of any unnecessary lights, allowing two monitors to be seamlessly integrated in dual-screen mode. It is rounded off with anti-glare screen coating and a low blue light to take counteract eye fatigue.